Zuko: Fire and Earth
by AlyssaLogan
Summary: Zuko's mission to capture the Avatar in the Northern Water Tribes wall for a second time, fails. But the hooded girl who saves him intreges him more than a hairless, half-trained Avatar.


"Use your chi to keep you warm. Good luck, Zuko"

They were the last words I'd hear from uncle for a while. I cut into the freezing water, and the sting of it bit at my skin through my clothes. I held my hands to my stomach and focused on that inner warmth that a fire bender naturally posses, and sure enough, even in the icy Northern Sea, I was warm.

I was a strong swimmer anyway, so the currents weren't too hard to handle. I made it under their walls, and found a quiet spot of ice where no one would likely be looking. I put my fingertip to the ice and cut a round hole big enough for me to slip out of with fire.

I dragged my sopping body out and, to be honest went a bit over the top with drying myself off – a ten foot column of fire doesn't go unnoticed. This, I think, is why my plan failed.

I pulled up the hood of my red cloak and walked around the corner... straight into what seemed to be a boy not older than myself, maybe fifteen or sixteen. He was accompanied by three others, and they all had water bender characteristics: tan skin, dark hair which was pulled back or braided in various ways and cold blue eyes.

"Watch it!" The one I'd walked into called and shoved me back. "Who'd you think you are, punk?"

I stifled a laugh – how pathetic! Challenging a prince.

But fast came another push, which this time made me fall into the snow. His friends laughed at me, and he put his large hands onto his hips as he looked at what he probably thought was good work.

"Watch yourself, peasant." I snarled, hauling myself up.

As I pushed my hood back, revealing my face and give-away scar, there were... mixed reviews. Two of the younger looking boys gasped, wide eyed. Another, this one maybe seventeen, changed his stance to what he trained to think was feral and fearful. The boy who'd pushed me stumbled backwards slightly.

"You know who I am, yes?"

They slowly moved, making a semi-circle around me. I looked at what I'd have to face, and I'd faced tougher. The seventeen year old stood out slightly, affirming his leadership.

"Prince Zuko... You... Will... DIE!"

He flicked his wrist and water exploded from everywhere, engulfing me and shattering my instincts.

I couldn't see: I couldn't think straight. Well, not until he dropped me onto my back.

I was cold. My teeth were chattering. And the four boys still stood there, only this time equipped with balls of water, floating in their cupped hands.

"Why are you here?" one of the younger ones asked.

I might've answered if he hadn't of slipped, his water going rogue and dousing him whilst he led on the floor.

"Look at what he's done! He melted the ice so he'd fall!" The boy who'd pushed me screamed.

I sighed loudly.

"If I had, I would've done it to all of you, wouldn't I? Not one measly rat."

The eldest's hand inched towards the little throwing knife strapped to his belt, but before he could do anything, an arrow came out of nowhere and smacked him in the head, making him fall to the floor.

Everyone's stares pointed towards the top of a house where a hooded figure was knelt, bow in hand. He leapt down and landed in front of me, black cloak swaying.

"You will not disturb our peace again, not for fire nation scum." The boy who pushed me said, stepping forward, a broadsword in his hand.

As fast as Azula's lightning, the hooded figure's own hand struck out, grabbing his wrist and flipping him easily.

The youngest were left, trembling, but still holding firm, water swirling tediously around them. "We will not stand for this." Their voices trembled, but didn't stop even in unison.

The hooded person tilted his head as if to say 'you oppose me?' which made one of the two faint.

"Yuri!" the other screamed. "HYIAH!" and with that roar, flung his water at the figure. A giant ball of white blocked the person from the water, and as it disappeared, he notched his bow and as if by magic, an arrow – blunt tipped – appeared and was quickly fired, knocking the boy out cold.

The ball of white turned out to be a large snow leopard, as big as a foal but certainly more muscled. He stood, growling slightly at his masters side.

"Thank you."

The cloak swirled menacingly around their body as they turned.

My mouth dropped in astonishment.

The person who'd saved me wasn't a man, but a dainty young woman, a year or so younger than I. She was blonde, and her hair was pulled back into a messy bun, with a few shorter strands flying out. And in complete contrast, her eyes were emerald and jade infusions, framed thickly with black.  
Her entire outfit was black; an oriental black silk top, black trousers tucked into white socks with black shoes and ties. Everything was black but her leather wrap-around belt, which was brown and stretched from her waist to just below her chest. She had at least five piercings in each ear – which were slightly pointed - and a golden nose ring.

"Thank you." I said again, stronger this time.

She pushed me back.

"Do not thank me for this. This is only very sad that I've had to disturb my peace with the Northern Water people." Her accent was thickly tainted with something that sounded Eastern.

"My peace here was bound only by small threads. I may now have cut them. My home may not be here anymore."

Irritation rose up inside of me. I ground my teeth and my fists balled up.

"Then why save me!" I yelled at her, my anger boiling over.

She lifted her head to stare at me. Something in her eyes was sad – there was that little spark of cheerlessness.

She placed her right hand, fingers outstretched, over my left collar bone.

"You have a good heart. You may act like it is not, but I can see what you hide."

I was taken aback – such faith she showed in a stranger!

She removed her hand and tended to her soaking pet.

"Let me." I said feebly. Placing two hands on either of the cats' shoulders, I let heat spread through me and into him, warming his core. He let out a contented puff, letting me know he still wasn't happy with my presence.

All of a sudden her head shot up, her eyes hard. A low growl filled the air around the leopard. "You smell that, Chia?" She asked the cat. He seemed to nod slightly. She grabbed a small hunting knife that was strapped to her belt and slashed at me with it, cutting only the layer of my shirt.

"Blood."

Looking at the wound the left side of my chest made me queasy. Sure, I'd had worse, but they hadn't been like this: A northern rat had wounded a southern prince. I think the sheer embarrassment was what hurt most.

"Ouch" I grunted.

"Oh dear – it is deep. Stay here, I will get the horse."

She darted off, leaving me with the largest white leopard I'd ever seen. He snarled, obviously not happy with being my guard, but did as he was told none the less.

Now the wound had registered in my mind, I only just realized how painful it was. Wasn't water supposed to be the healing element? But then again, fire could heal just as well as water.

My eyes began to get heavy: my chest ached and blood trickled down my torso. I wadded up the ends of my long cloak and held it to the wound. I heard the horses hooves and the call of the girl before I slipped into blissful unconsciousness, free of the burning cut and my failed quest.


End file.
